Personal electronic devices, such as portable media players, cellular phones, personal digital assists, are prevalent in today's marketplace, as are the peripheral electronic devices that support their use, such as docking stations and the like. As competition in the personal electronics marketplace has grown, consumers have become more demanding in terms of both the performance and design aesthetic of such devices. For example, consumers expect ever smaller electronic devices that are more convenient to carry, and also look for product exteriors that are both functional and visually appealing. An exterior body design that has gained popularity, especially in smaller form factor electronic devices, is a single-piece unitary outer body. The unitary outer body design is contrasted with more conventional designs that, for example, create a device's outer body from two halves that are secured together with fasteners.
In a unitary outer body design, a single continuous piece of material, one that is not assembled from constituent parts, is used to create the outer body of the device. This unitary outer body is provided with a hollow interior chamber to house the device's electronic components. The use of a unitary outer body reduces or eliminates the need for fasteners such as screws and pins, which reduces both the cost of production and eliminates the sometimes unsightly appearance of fasteners on the product exterior. The unitary body also eliminates gaps or fissures on the product body where body components are joined. This provides a more robust and weatherproof outer body and improves the appearance of the product. Moreover, the elimination of multiple components in the outer body of a product makes the outer body more durable, as it also eliminates the possibility that the components will come apart with wear or trauma.
Given the advantages of unitary outer body design, it is desirable to solve specific problems that arise in the manufacture of an electronic device utilizing a unitary outer body.